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What does an interactive designer do?

Updated January 8, 2025
8 min read
Quoted expert
Dr. Sarah Satterfield Ph.D.
What does an interactive designer do

An Interactive Designer takes the business product and transforms it into a product that the user interacts with perfectly. They support engineering efforts to develop designs and get the details right.

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Interactive designer responsibilities

Here are examples of responsibilities from real interactive designer resumes:

  • Manage website properties including design, content and marketing using HTML5, CSS and JavaScript.
  • Create, implement, and manage web content projects (HTML emails, web sites, digitizing audio/video).
  • Use ASP.NET and XML to automate common workflow tasks due to extremely high volume of designs to be create.
  • Develop a custom object-orient prototyping model in the design of a highly dynamic user interface.
  • Work primarily with JQuery to design/develop full screen overlays and dynamic forms.
  • Develop clean, table-less web sites using valid XHTML and CSS according to standards.
  • Create art work for print brochures and banners as well as graphics to be used in HTML email communications.
  • Organize and maintain a share repository of mockups, specs, assets, style & process guides in InVision.
  • Guide UX for cloud-base service with product manager and architect team from brainstorming to prototype and propose vision for mobile interactions.
  • Work with UX team to execute the designs on a to- do app that integrate college preparation for high school students.
  • Participate in requirements gathering and daily scrum meetings.
  • Design website comps for prospective clients illustrating aesthetics and UI compatibility.
  • Participate in daily scrum; discuss requirements from feasibility to production.
  • Develop user-centered solutions and strategies to integrate conversational UI across systems and devices.
  • Create both low and mid-fidelity prototypes using various prototyping applications to deliver interaction and behavioral requirements to developers.

Interactive designer skills and personality traits

We calculated that 13% of Interactive Designers are proficient in Sketch, User Experience, and UI. They’re also known for soft skills such as Analytical skills, Artistic ability, and Communication skills.

We break down the percentage of Interactive Designers that have these skills listed on their resume here:

  • Sketch, 13%

    Produced a video sketch for immersive experience of storyboard, which was created using persona and Apple s HCI guide.

  • User Experience, 7%

    Work collaboratively and cross-departmentally at an international level to develop successful user experiences for e-commerce initiatives on fender.com.

  • UI, 6%

    Focused on revenue optimization, accessibility, and standardizing UI patterns.

  • Interaction Design, 6%

    Facilitated user research and interaction design efforts for the re-design of UnitStock, a medication inspection compliance application.

  • Invision, 4%

    Completed user testing and usability analysis with wire-framing and prototyping tools such as InVision.

  • Visual Design, 4%

    Created extensive visual designs and applications, including click-through wire-framing and mock-ups.

"sketch," "user experience," and "ui" are among the most common skills that interactive designers use at work. You can find even more interactive designer responsibilities below, including:

Analytical skills. To carry out their duties, the most important skill for an interactive designer to have is analytical skills. Their role and responsibilities require that "graphic designers must be able to perceive their work from their consumers’ point of view to ensure that the designs convey the client’s message." Interactive designers often use analytical skills in their day-to-day job, as shown by this real resume: "create ux design and data visualization, flash presentation"

Artistic ability. Another essential skill to perform interactive designer duties is artistic ability. Interactive designers responsibilities require that "graphic designers must be able to create designs that are artistically interesting and appealing to clients and consumers." Interactive designers also use artistic ability in their role according to a real resume snippet: "helped to curate and manage old ui elements, to change them as the game changed artistic and ux direction. "

Communication skills. Another skill that relates to the job responsibilities of interactive designers is communication skills. This skill is critical to many everyday interactive designer duties, as "graphic designers must communicate with clients, customers, and other designers to ensure that their designs accurately and effectively convey information." This example from a resume shows how this skill is used: "created art work for print brochures and banners as well as graphics to be used in html email communications. "

Computer skills. A big part of what interactive designers do relies on "computer skills." You can see how essential it is to interactive designer responsibilities because "most graphic designers use specialized graphic design software to prepare their designs." Here's an example of how this skill is used from a resume that represents typical interactive designer tasks: "improved the ui of the web application used to track prototype computers in the labs. "

Time-management skills. Another common skill required for interactive designer responsibilities is "time-management skills." This skill comes up in the duties of interactive designers all the time, as "graphic designers often work simultaneously on multiple projects, each with a different deadline." An excerpt from a real interactive designer resume shows how this skill is central to what an interactive designer does: "applied account and project management efficiently on projects to meet deadlines. "

Creativity. Lastly, "creativity" is an important element of what an interactive designer does. Interactive designer responsibilities require this skill because "graphic designers must be able to think of new approaches to communicating ideas to consumers." This resume example highlights how interactive designer duties rely on this skill: "created prototypes, wireframes, flows, site maps, user stories and content inventory for site redesign. "

All interactive designer skills

The three companies that hire the most interactive designers are:

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Compare different interactive designers

Interactive designer vs. Graphic designer, marketing

A graphic designer of marketing specializes in developing creative imagery as part of a company's marketing efforts. Their responsibilities typically revolve around coordinating with the marketing team to share insights and strategies, conceptualizing designs in adherence to objectives and deadlines, and preparing presentations. One may also subject designs into various revisions and edits as needed. Furthermore, as a graphic designer, it is also essential to keep abreast of the latest trends and have an understanding of the target audience.

If we compare the average interactive designer annual salary with that of a graphic designer, marketing, we find that graphic designers, marketing typically earn a $49,166 lower salary than interactive designers make annually.While the two careers have a salary gap, they share some of the same responsibilities. Employees in both interactive designer and graphic designer, marketing positions are skilled in sketch, graphic design, and adobe creative suite.

These skill sets are where the common ground ends though. The responsibilities of an interactive designer are more likely to require skills like "user experience," "ui," "interaction design," and "invision." On the other hand, a job as a graphic designer, marketing requires skills like "brochures," "blog posts," "flyers," and "in-house." As you can see, what employees do in each career varies considerably.

Graphic designers, marketing earn the highest salaries when working in the technology industry, with an average yearly salary of $52,640. On the other hand, interactive designers are paid more in the technology industry with an average salary of $126,017.graphic designers, marketing tend to reach lower levels of education than interactive designers. In fact, graphic designers, marketing are 9.7% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.3% less likely to have a Doctoral Degree.

Interactive designer vs. Graphic designer internship

In a graphic design internship, one of the primary responsibilities is to accomplish tasks while under the supervision of more experienced colleagues. An aspiring graphic designer may use this opportunity to observe and participate in designing for various industries, handle different clients, participate in creative meetings, and learn strategies from experts. Furthermore, there may also be technical tasks involving research and analysis, gathering materials, coordinating with vendors, and producing reports and other necessary documentation. They may also be responsible for maintaining a database and responding to calls and inquires.

A career as a graphic designer internship brings a lower average salary when compared to the average annual salary of an interactive designer. In fact, graphic designer interns salary is $62,129 lower than the salary of interactive designers per year.A few skills overlap for interactive designers and graphic designer interns. Resumes from both professions show that the duties of each career rely on skills like "sketch," "user interface," and "graphic design. "

Each career also uses different skills, according to real interactive designer resumes. While interactive designer responsibilities can utilize skills like "user experience," "ui," "interaction design," and "invision," graphic designer interns use skills like "graphic design intern," "blog posts," "adobe illustrator," and "photography."

Graphic designer interns earn a lower average salary than interactive designers. But graphic designer interns earn the highest pay in the professional industry, with an average salary of $41,614. Additionally, interactive designers earn the highest salaries in the technology with average pay of $126,017 annually.In general, graphic designer interns achieve lower levels of education than interactive designers. They're 11.4% less likely to obtain a Master's Degree while being 0.3% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for interactive designers in the next 3-5 years?

Dr. Sarah Satterfield Ph.D.

Department Chair Visual and Performing Arts, Professor of Music and Humanities, College of Central Florida

Technology is constantly evolving and changing the way we experience the arts, generally for the better. I anticipate great strides in the fields of digital media and digital music. Technology affords us the opportunity to connect with a larger, more global audience on the one hand, and also kindle, in a younger generation, an interest in the arts.

Interactive designer vs. Visual designer

A visual designer is someone who creates designs for a variety of platforms such as Internet and intranet sites, games, and wearables. The duties of visual designers depend on the specific project or industry in which they are working. Duties include creating user-centered interaction models, working with information technology and business teams to resolve complex issues, and designing logos, icons, and infographics. The qualifications to become a visual designer include possessing strong problem-solving, communication, and negotiation skills and obtaining a bachelor's degree in design.

On average scale, visual designers bring in lower salaries than interactive designers. In fact, they earn a $11,434 lower salary per year.Using the responsibilities included on interactive designers and visual designers resumes, we found that both professions have similar skill requirements, such as "sketch," "user experience," and "ui.rdquo;

There are many key differences between these two careers, including some of the skills required to perform responsibilities within each role. For example, an interactive designer is likely to be skilled in "axure," "usability tests," "web design," and "front-end development," while a typical visual designer is skilled in "photography," "digital marketing," "creative concepts," and "marketing campaigns."

Visual designers earn the highest salary when working in the start-up industry, where they receive an average salary of $121,675. Comparatively, interactive designers have the highest earning potential in the technology industry, with an average salary of $126,017.visual designers typically earn similar educational levels compared to interactive designers. Specifically, they're 4.8% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.2% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

Interactive designer vs. Designer

A designer is someone who creates a master plan of the look or workings of something before it will be made. It could be tangible or intangible objects, products, procedures, laws, events, games, graphics, services, and even experiences. Designers are creative thinkers with a great eye to configure the skeletal and structural properties of the targeted output. They work in several fields, such as fashion, architecture, web graphics, and user experience. In spite of the variety of professionals in the design industry, all of them are artistic, passionate, inspiring, and emotionally connected to their projects and brands.

Designers typically earn lower pay than interactive designers. On average, designers earn a $31,582 lower salary per year.According to resumes from interactive designers and designers, some of the skills necessary to complete the responsibilities of each role are similar. These skills include "sketch," "user experience," and "invision. "Each job also requires different skills to carry out their responsibilities. An interactive designer uses "ui," "interaction design," "visual design," and "prototyping." Designers are more likely to have duties that require skills in "customer service," "revit," "adobe illustrator," and "aided design. "In general, designers earn the most working in the technology industry, with an average salary of $87,754. The highest-paying industry for an interactive designer is the technology industry.The average resume of designers showed that they earn lower levels of education compared to interactive designers. So much so that theyacirc;euro;trade;re 6.9% less likely to earn a Master's Degree and less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree by 0.1%.

Types of interactive designer

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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